Sensing and regulation of mycotrophic and biotrophic processes in fungal mycoparasites

Join the seminar here: https://slu-se.zoom.us/j/63301007208

Passcode: 587309

Abstract

Parasitism, a common form of symbiosis among many groups of heterotrophic organisms, involves a nutritional relationship that favors the survival of the parasite. Mycoparasitism, a form of interaction between a host fungus and a fungal parasite, can be classified based on the differences in parasitic ways or the influence on host fungi.

Necrotrophic mycoparasites mostly grow as saprotrophs, but can perform aggressive antagonistic action with low host specificity and with a relatively unspecialized mechanism of parasitism. In addition to and as part of the ability of Trichoderma and Clonostachys mycoparasites to kill other fungi, some species produce a variety of secondary metabolites, induce local and systemic resistance and can improve nutrient uptake in plants, promote plant growth, and increase tolerance to abiotic stresses. All these nutritional strategies, as well as known interactions with other organisms render them multiple biotrophs and sufficient biocontrol agents.

We will discuss the processes of these mycoparasitic fungi that allow them to sense and regulate their transcriptional patterns in contact the fungal pray and with plants and show examples of such involvement in antagonistic attack and fungal-plant interactions.